The Bachelor: The One With All the Kissing

Episode two of The Bachelor! It picked up where we left off, and had all the girls moving with Ben to Sonoma. Almost immediately, the girls learn who has the first one on one. And guess who it is? Kacie B. I didn't really remember her from the first episode, but I really liked her this episode. She seems genuine (a very rare trait in people on reality shows) and very sweet. She also seems like she's already falling for Ben. They took a trip around Sonoma and he showed her the sights, then they went shopping and she shared an interesting fact about herself - she use to twirl batons. Then, they went to a movie theater and watched a video of clips from their childhood. I thought that was a little intense for a first date, but it was really cute and Ben got choked up. I wasn't super in love with him in the first episode, but him getting choked up about seeing his dad, who had died, was sweet. He now chooses if she gets a rose now or if she immediately goes home. Not surprisingly, she gets the first rose.

While Kacie B. and Ben are on their date, the remaining girls get a note about who goes on their 12 person date. That seems slightly ridiculous to me, but I guess it's better to have a 1 in 12 shot at talking to him than 1 in 18. The 12 girls going on the date are: Blakely, Brittney, Emily, Jaclyn, Jamie, Jenna, Jennifer, Monica, Nicki, Rachel, Samantha, and Shawn. The clue says to get ready to play, or something along those lines. When they arrive at Sonoma's City Square, Ben tells them that playwrights are here to help them perform a play! Some of the girls are expecting Broadway writers, but turns out it is a group of children. They have to audition for the kids, and obviously, some go along with it better than others. I thought it was a dumb decision to not just act like an idiot - obviously that's the point and Ben would appreciate that.



So after everyone gets their part, they put on a show. Some of the girls got to kiss him in the play and were really very excited about that. After the play, they all went to dinner and the rose came out. Blakeley immediately starts ramming her tongue down his throat and taking every moment with him, insisting she will be the one to get the rose. Obviously, this upsets some of the girls, mainly Samantha and Jennifer. Jennifer does get some alone time with him and they seem to do well, and all the girls think she was best in the play. As the date winds down, Ben indeed gives the rose to Blakeley.

As the date progresses, the final date card for another one on one arrives at the house. This time, it tells Courtney to get ready to spin the bottle. Just like last week, she seems happier about winning the competition for one on one dates than actually spending time with Ben. However, while they're on their date she seems very interested in him. Reminds me of Vienna from Jake's season, again. They go on a hike, I guess? He takes him dog, Scotch, who is very cute. Hmm. A winemaker with a dog named Scotch. Ironic. They have a picnic and really connect, and Ben says to the camera that he feels like Courtney is a really great match for him. Whatever Ben. Hopefully you'll figure it out. She also gets a rose, and so ends our dates for the week.

With the rose ceremony looming, every girl tries to get some one on one time with Ben so they don't get eliminated. Samantha begins to apologize for being so upset the night before, and Blakeley interrupts. To get on my soapbox for a moment, I really hate when girls try to talk to the bachelor when they already have a rose. That's just a jerk thing to do. You have the whole next week to talk to him and nothing you say is going to change the fact that you have a rose. If I was the Bachelor (or I guess the Bachelorette), I would tell them to give me back their rose and go home. But I digress. He also talks to Lindzi, who got the first impression rose. (On that note, if you forget who any of these people are from week 1, just check out my blog to remind you.) She explains to him about being a country girl and liking to get dirty and drive tractors and F-350s. That's a big truck for a little girl.

He talks to a few more people, and then talks to Jenna. The nut case. She starts telling him she doesn't like waiting around for him, cause she's not a girl, she's a guy. Um. I get the meaning, but can you say awkward? She runs away crying. She saw the awkwardness too.

Rose ceremony time! In order of how he calls them:

Jennifer
Emily
Elyse
Jaclyn
Erika
Rachel
Lindzi
Nicki
Casey S.
Samantha
Monica
Jamie
Brittney

So in case you don't feel like looking back, that means Jenna, who was picked 17th last time, and Shawn, who was picked 9th last time and I picked for my gold star of the week, were eliminated. Jenna was crazy. I was only surprised about her elimination because of her helping ratings. But I'm glad he got rid of her. It gives him credibility. Shawn, I don't know. She didn't get any one on one time that I saw, he didn't say anything as she left, and she didn't have an exit interview. He decided he didn't like her, is all I got.

So, gold star for this week. I have found myself not wanting to choose someone who got a one on one date with him or any special recognition as the gold star person. Obviously, that'll have to change, but just so you know, Kacie B. was very close. I thought she came off really great. Jennifer was also really close. I thought she did a good job at the play, and had a good one on one with Ben. She just got too upset about the Blakeley thing. I'm sure it's emotional though. So the winner of the week is: Nicki! She was the donkey in the play and I thought she was really cute. I'm not sure if she had any one on one time with Ben that really amounted to anything, but she seemed very easy going in her interviews and her interactions with Ben. Hope the gold star isn't the kiss of death, Nicki, like it was for Shawn.